public relations

The value of asking

Sometimes you’d be amazed by the amount of information - and more importantly, insight - that you can get into a situation simply by asking a question.

I was reminded of that simple fact recently when we were planning a roll out for some products at a clients place. When discussing the media campaign, we had already decided earlier where we needed to be and who we needed to be talking to. After all - we knew who the various publics/ audiences/ influencers were right?

Wrong.

During the discussion, it turned out that a recent road trip where they had been sampling the product had yielded an interesting tit bit. One that highlighted a whole new set of people who not only would be more influential in helping to raise sales for the product - but would be excellent (and very vocal) product ambassadors to just about every other major audience we were interested in!

All because we asked a question - what did you see that was interesting while on the road?

So yes, the question can take any form.

It could be - tell me more about yourself and your audience; where have you had the most questions; what have you seen that was new or different in your sales/ marketing/ public relations/ complaints; what are people complaining about. The questions, like the potential for new answers and insight, are endless.

So go ahead - ask a question today.

What examples have you got to share about how a question helped change the course of something you were doing or how something was done?

© 2009 Journeys Through The Line.